Summertime Loving

Chapter 41

The door closed behind her, the echo of her heels clicking down the hallway fading, but the tension in the room lingered like a heavy fog.

Travis watched Ms. Bissette, who stood frozen in place, her shoulders stiff and her hands trembling ever so slightly. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, her face a mix of frustration and helplessness. The strength she had tried to maintain in front of Mrs. Smith was now crumbling.

Without a word, Travis walked up to her, unsure of how to comfort her but knowing he needed to say something. As he neared, he could see her blinking rapidly, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill over.

"You okay, Ms. Bissette?" he asked softly, his voice low but steady.

She didn't look at him right away, staring down at her desk as if searching for the right words. Finally, she took a shaky breath and met his gaze. "I'll be fine, Travis," she said, though her voice wavered. "I just… I can't believe she would threaten me like that. My entire life here… it's all tied to this job."

She swallowed hard, her composure slipping. "I work so hard, and it's never enough for her."

Travis stood there silently, unsure of what to say. He quickly grabbed a tissue and handed it to Ms. Bissette, waiting patiently as she tried to compose herself. When she finally calmed down, wiping away the last of her tears, he spoke up.

"Why don't you prove your worth to this school? Give me the next assignment, and I'll have it done by this afternoon," he said, his voice steady and determined.

Ms. Bissette looked up, her red-rimmed eyes widening in surprise. A small smile began to form as she sniffled, placing her hand gently on his chest as she stepped closer.

"You're right," she said softly, her mood shifting as she regained some of her confidence. "I want you to write an essay about your favorite food. Like you said, I need it this afternoon, okay?"

Travis nodded, the exchange sparking a moment of connection between them. He turned and left the room, leaving Ms. Bissette standing there with a smile that was much brighter than before. She watched him go, feeling a sense of relief and a strange happiness that Travis was not only interested in her extra classes but also showed an interest in her language. That thought filled her with excitement, but she restrained herself from rushing to reward him just yet.

'I'll give it to him after the quiz next Tuesday,' she mused, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips.

Travis didn't waste any time as he walked out of the school. On his way towards the wall, he noticed the familiar figures of Lopez and Martinez up ahead. As he got closer, he could feel their eyes on him—Lopez's filled with rage, and Martinez's filled with curiosity.

'How did he even do it? He's just a thi—' Martinez's thoughts cut off as she took a closer look at Travis.

Even though his hoodie concealed most of his physique, it was clear his build had grown much bigger since the last time they saw him. His new haircut and the confident expression on his face only added to the transformation. Anyone who knew the old Travis would be shocked by how different he appeared now—more charismatic, more self-assured, and undeniably stronger, even more handsome.

Martinez couldn't help but stare, her mind racing as she compared the Travis she once knew to the one standing in front of her now. She was genuinely stunned, but more than anything, her curiosity was piqued. She wondered what had happened to him, and more importantly, if he'd be interested in becoming close friends.

'It's like I'm looking at a completely different person,' Lopez thought, her anger momentarily giving way to disbelief. 'No wonder he beat up my brother and his crew.'

Travis relished the fear in their eyes, but deep down, he hoped for something more interesting. He didn't want them to submit too easily—it would be far too boring.

'Let's see if they'll act like they usually do or if they'll bend to me. Hope it's not the last one,' he thought, his smirk widening.

As he approached, Lopez and Martinez quickly turned towards him. Seeing him standing right in front of them, their bodies instinctively tensed, a shiver of fear running through them.

"So, you called some thugs to jump me yesterday?" Travis asked, his voice calm but laced with an edge.

Lopez frowned, the memory of her brother lying bruised and battered flashing in her mind. Her blood boiled. She glared at Travis, eyes full of fury. "Yeah, you got a problem with that?" she spat, her voice filled with venom.

Martinez stared at Lopez in disbelief, shocked at her audacity. She couldn't believe Lopez would provoke Travis like this, especially after what he had done to her brother, who was still clinging to life in a hospital bed. Was Lopez crazy?

Travis, unfazed, tilted his head and smirked. "Oh, so you're still feisty, huh?" He paused, his smirk widening as he enjoyed the tension building. "To answer your question—no, I don't. It was a good warm-up, though it didn't do much for me."

The casual taunt hit Lopez hard. He knew exactly how to get under her skin. Her fists clenched, her anger swelling as she shouted, "You freakin' put my brother in the emergency room, fool! And you're standing here smiling like it's nothing!"

Travis shrugged, looking genuinely unbothered. "Wait, that was your brother? That's pretty sad. I thought he was just some random guy pretending to be the leader." He paused, letting the words sink in before adding, "Well, either way, I still don't care."

Lopez's face turned red with rage. "What did you say?!" she yelled, standing up abruptly, her fists ready to fly at him. She was moments away from lashing out when Travis simply raised an eyebrow, his expression calm but commanding.

That one small gesture was enough to make her freeze mid-step. Her anger deflated, and she stopped dead in her tracks, realizing that even her fury couldn't move him.

"Let's talk about this later, because now isn't the right time," he said in a cold tone. He turned back and walked towards the wall as he leaped over it effortlessly. Travis had a wide smirk; his seeds had been planted. The only thing he had to do now was cater to them until they grew into two nice bitches that'll do anything for his cock.

TO BE CONTINUED